Apparatus for saving floured quicksilver



(No Model.) A

J. H. RAE.

APPARATUS POR SAVING FLOURED QUICKSILVER. No. 364,372. PatentedJune '7, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEOI JULIO H. aan or DAYTON, NEVADA.

APPARATUS FOR SAVING FLOURED QUICKSILVER.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No..364,372, dated June 7, 1887.

Application tiled Fe..ruary 3, 1887. Serial No. 226,448. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIO H. RAE, of Dayton, in the county of Lyon and State of Nevada, have invented an Improvement in Apparatus for Saving Floured Quicksilver; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to an apparatus which is especially useful to assist in the amalgamation of precious Inetals, and to `save quicksilver which has been floured by grinding 'or other processes, so that it is liable to be carried off in a state of minute subdivision.

It consists of a pan or tub within which the usual rotary mnller or settler-arms are operated, and in connection with this of a circular .electrode having numerous points, and so susp pended as to dip into the upper part of the material contained in the tub,while the negative electrode connects with the metallic bottom or lining of the tub.

lt further consists of a circular waterlpipe suspended within the tub and above the stirrers, said pipe having jet-holes opening upwardly and outwardly, through which fresh water is discharged.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ot" myinvention, the ligure is a vertical section taken through the centcr'ot' a settling or concentrating tub showing my invention.

A is the tub or settler, which may be made ofwood or metal,having a metal bottom,B,with a central cone extending upwardly, through which the vertical shaft C passes. From the top of this shaft a yoke, D, extends downwardly and supports the ring or muller E, from which the stirring-arms F depend. rlhe shaft C. is driven by a beveled gearing, G, in the usual manner, these portions j ust described being common to this class of apparatus.

My invention consists of a circular ring, H, which may bc made of any metal which is a good conductor, or of carbon, and it has a sewire J from abattery or dynamo of abouteven y volt and ampere power extends downwardly and connects with the ring H at one or more points. This ring -Is suspended so that the points will just enter the water or material within the tub, and the ring may be made of any suitable diameter, being large enough to encircle the rotary yoke which drives the muller and out of contact with it.

The negative wire K from the battery or dynamo is connected with the bottom B at any suitable point or points, so that the current passes downwardly from the ring through the material contained in the pan.

In order to overcome a certain amount ot' resistance to the electrical current which is developed in the water, I introduce a portion of salt solution or sulphuric acid. also sometimes employ a proportion of caustic limcand concentrated lye or cyanideofpotassium,which cuts any oil or grease which may be contained in the material, and prevents its interference with the electrical or aggregating action.

L is a ring formed of a pipe, bent around into a circle large enough to surround the yoke which drives the mullers without touchingit, and .M is apipethrough which waterisledinto the ring L. This ring is perforated around the upper and outer portion, so that thc water which is introduced through the pipe M will be discharged in line jets upwardly and outwardly through the matcrialwithin the tub, and this assists to carry upward the lighter more worthless particles which are contained within it, making it also so much thinner that the heavier and more valuable particles will rcadil y settle toward the bottom. The overiow of the tub is caught in an annular trough, N, which surrounds the upper edge of the tub, and which may be made of or lined with copper, amalgamated so as to catch and retain any tine parti cles of quicksilver or valuable metal which may be carried over by the overflow.

O is a discharge-pipe opening from the annular trough at one side, through which the waste is discharged.

Vthen the apparatus is in operation,tl1e Inaterial containing the Quicksilver and valuable metals or simeis introduced into the tub with water andthe stirrers are set in motion,water being also introduced through the pipe M to the perforated ring L. Astrong current of electricity is passed through the material by means of the ring I-I and points I, and the result is to aggregate or concentrate and bring together the fine particles of ioured quicksilver which are usually lost and carried away iu the water, because it is impossible to unite them by ordidinary means into a body large enough to be collected. By my device these particles are brought together, either by attraction or some other reason, and almost all, or quite all, of this tine floured quicksilver may be saved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ism

1. The combination,in an apparatus for saving precious and valuable metals, ofapan provided with a ninller and stirringarms, and an amalgamated copper bottom connected with the negative electrode of a dynamo, an independent stationary ring connected with the positive electrode above the niuller, and provided with a series of diverging downwardlyprojecting points which dip into the upper part of the contents of the pan, substantially as herein described.

2. `An apparatus for saving valuable and precious metals,eonsisting of a tub or pan with an amalgamated copper bottom connected with the negative electrode of a dynamo, a revolving muller with stirring-arms near the bottom within the pan, a stationary annular Waterjet tube suspended within the contents of the pan above the muller, and anoverflow-trough around the upper angle of the pan,with a dischargespout, together with a stationary annular conductor connected with the positive electrode of the dynamo suspended in the upper part of the pan, with diverging downwardly-projecting points extending into the contents of the pan, substantially as herein described. v

ln witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JULIO H. RAE.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsn` H. o. 

